


children of the night

by orphan_account



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Magic, Multi, Shameless Self-Indulgence, Slow Build, Vampires, Werewolves, hope yall enjoy reading this as much as im enjoying writing it, this fic happened because i wanted a multi chapter vampire zuko fic and i decided to be the change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25715299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Sokka might not have cool magic powers like Aang and Katara, and he might not be able to turn into a massive wolf like Toph, but he has his own role in their group. He cracks jokes, eats meat, and comes up with the plans. Current plan: Invade the Phoenix clan's stronghold on the summer solstice. Take out Ozai and his vampire followers before they can finish taking over the world, killing everyone with powers, and turning normal humans into chattel. Live happily ever after. Failure was never an option. Neither was multiple encounters with Ozai's son Prince Zuko, formerly one of his father's most ardent followers, who now seems to be having a change of heart. And falling in love with him? Totally out of the question.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	children of the night

**Author's Note:**

> bad bitches keep starting new fics instead of writing follow-ups to their old ones. the difference is that i actually have the second chapter for this one written, and i intend to update it weekly.
> 
> everyone is aged up four years because it's my self indulgent fic and i wanted them closer to my age

Yeah, okay, so Sokka didn’t expect the supply closet to be boobytrapped. Who boobytraps a supply closet? _Crazy vampire clans bent on taking over the world, apparently._ Well, when he thinks of it that way, it makes more sense.

As far as he can tell, it’s not even a special evil-vampire-supplies closet. He can’t see well in the dim light from the window, not being a vampire himself, but all he can make out is mops, brooms, and some buckets. Also soap and detergent. When he squints, he sees that the soap stacked along the near wall is the same as the one Katara breaks out when he and Aang spill her potions over the floor. _Vampire clans: they’re just like us_.

Or not, because Sokka has no fucking clue how to bust out of this bad boy. He tried all of his breaking-and-entering kit, but the thin bars that slammed over the window are both stronger than they look and firmly affixed. They don’t respond to the corrosive escape poultice that Katara gave him either. _Must be blood-tempered steel_. He files that away for if—when he gets out. If Ozai’s clan has a blood sorcerer in addition to their absurdly overpowered vampires, they have an even bigger problem than they already did.

If there’s one thing Sokka has learned in his nineteen years of life, it’s that it’s important to tackle things one problem at a time. He turns his attention back to his current one. Alright, he can’t leave the way he came. The door locks from the inside, which he expected. He didn’t expect a, and he can’t repeat this enough, _normal supply closet_ to refuse to be unlocked by either magic or mundane means. The whole castle must be fortified with blood steel, if they can afford to fully break-proof a closet. Idly, Sokka wonders whether that works because they have some extremely powerful human’s blood on hand or an extremely powerful blood sorcerer. Either way, it’s more than they knew about Ozai’s new hideout before he broke in. It’s not going to help anyone if he can’t get _out_ , though.

Which sucks, because Sokka might be dumb but he’s not stupid and he knows when he’s trapped. His best bet is to hope that they send their human servants to scrub the floors as soon as the sun rises. The servants _must_ have the charm to undo the trap. Otherwise they’d get stuck. (Of course, the crazy vampires might _not_ give their human servants the charm and think of it as an extra snack for the night patrol. Sokka tries not to think of that option). He plops down on an upturned bucket and pulls out his trusty boomerang. One side blood-tempered steel, the other side fortified cedar, perpetually swabbed with a monk’s holy water, and engraved with Katara’s finest impact-triggered combustion curse. The almost-perfect weapon for vampires, humans, and even the occasional werewolf. Not as good as his sword, but he doesn’t usually bring his sword on reconnaissance missions. He pulls a small bottle of holy water out of his boot to swab the cedar again. He watched the flickering lanterns of the night watch come and go, but he can’t be sure he didn’t trigger any alarm. Until the sun rises, he needs to be prepared to take a vampire.

When the door flies open, the moon is still in the sky. Sokka brandishes the cedar side of his boomerang at the assailant, who flinches back. _Vampire, then_. He uncorks the holy water.

“Wait!” hisses his would-be attacker. They’re wearing what looks like an old theater mask. Their voice is raspy and deep. It pulls on a memory in Sokka’s brain. Something old. Some time right after he and Katara had joined up with Aang. Some terrible event from back when Katara was a novice witch and Aang didn’t even know the monks’ incantations to properly empower holy water. “I’m not here to hurt you!”

“Yeah, right,” Sokka says, raising an eyebrow. “And Ozai’s not really that bad, he’s just a misunderstood megalomaniac. That whole trying to take over the entire world and turn humans into chattel? Something that could be cleared if we all sat and talked over a nice glass of _blood_.” He takes a step forward, but something stops him from pressing the boomerang against the masked figure.

The figure lets out an exasperated squawk. “That’s not—I mean—If I wanted to hurt you, wouldn’t I have done it already?” They cross their arms. “I’m trying to _save your life_ , asshole! I don’t care if you can take a whole army of vampires with that thing, if Azu—the princess hears that there’s a human with even an ounce of fight left in this palace, you’re dead meat.” Sokka can’t see their face, but they seem to be giving him a onceover. “And you don’t exactly seem to have stumbled in here by accident.”

Sokka looks down at his armored knees, his holy water, and his boomerang. Too late, he shoves the water back into his boot. “Suppose I _do_ believe you,” he says. _Because I have no better option_ , he doesn’t add. “Why would you help me?” His eyes run over his would-be rescuer. They’re dressed all in black, except for the blue mask. They’re still. Too still. Because they’re not breathing. _Because they’re a vampire_. At first he thought they might be a ghost, but that was before the holy water. “Aren’t you supposed to be on their side?”

“I—I’m not sure what side I’m on anymore.” The figure shifts from one foot to the other. “I’ve been learning a lot, these days. Besides,” and their voice hardens. “It’s not like you have a better option than to trust me.”

Sokka grunts. Exactly what he already thought about. “You got me there.” He steps out of the way, but keeps his foot jammed against the door. He never falls for the same trick twice.

The figure walks briskly into the closet and quickly shreds the bars into pieces. Sokka tries to push his jaws back together. _Not just a vampire. A powerful-ass vampire_. He’s still gaping when the figure turns toward him. “What are you waiting for?” they hiss. They tense suddenly, and a couple moments later, Sokka hears footsteps. _Of course,_ breaking _the booby trap would set off alarms_. “They’re coming!” the _absurdly powerful traitor vampire_ says before hoisting Sokka up like a sack of flour. They’re oddly warm for a vampire, Sokka thinks, and they smell nice. Nice muscles too, super vampire strength discounted. Then they throw Sokka out the window.

Sokka drives the steel side of his boomerang into the wall as he falls. His shoulder groans at the exertion, but soon he’s stabilized enough to tie a rope to the end and slide down before yanking it out. He can see the edges of the sunrise on the horizon. He surprises himself by hoping that his mysterious vampire made it out alright. He also surprises himself by thinking _damn, that was kind of hot_.

***

“What, you’re saying that Ozai has his own _blood sorcerer_ now?” Katara’s fingers dig into Sokka’s shoulder as she rubs the healing potion over his shoulder, but he knows better than to mention it when she’s like this.

“It’s the only explanation,” Sokka sighs. “They had blood-tempered steel on the door of their—Ow! — _supply closet_. I can’t imagine risking bringing in an outside blood sorcerer for that.”

“Sorry,” Katara mutters. She backs up and sits on the ground across from him. “A blood sorcerer, working for vampires,” she hisses. “I can’t believe it.”

“I can.” Toph’s voice booms across their cave hideout. She shakes the fur out of her vest a little louder than necessary, and shrugs when Katara makes an astonished noise. “Not everyone takes the ‘great and terrible responsibility of blood magic’ as seriously as you do, Sugar Queen,” Toph says. “I’ve definitely met a couple people who would forge blades with their own mothers’ blood if someone gave them a big enough sack of coins.”

Katara’s hands twist on her lap, and she doesn’t respond. Her gaze drifts off. Sokka can’t speak for her, but he’s thinking of Hama. First, teaching Katara first the ancient art of blood magic, and then showing her exactly what blood magic can do when its practitioner doesn’t care about—well, other people. Katara had smiled shakily and said she was fine doing what needed to be done, but she refused to repair the blood steel side of Sokka’s boomerang for months. Sokka drops his eyes and wishes, not for the first time, that he had been born with the ability to use magic.

Katara pulls herself to her feet. “Well, that’s just someone else we’ll need to strike down when the time is right,” she announces, but her mouth is set in a tight line as she strides across the cave and yanks Toph’s vest out of her hands. “I told you not to take that vest out last night,” she says, hitting it against the cave wall with vigor. “You always complain after your full moon transformations that it takes you forever to clean your clothes, but you never get extra ones. You’re lucky you were able to pull it off before you tore it.”

Toph rolls her eyes. “Save it,” she says, yanking her vest out of Katara’s hands and pulling it on. “I’ve been transforming since before you could even whip up a basic healing potion. I know what I’m doing.” She snorts and flops down on the ground. “In fact, I bet I could transform at will before you could even whip up a basic healing potion. Most powerful werewolf in the world and all.”

Right as Katara opens her mouth, Aang rushes through the massive entrance with a vat. “Sorry guys!” he says apologetically, placing it down on the ground. “We’re super close to Ozai’s castle. It took me a while to find a water source that wasn’t too tainted to bless.”

“It’s no problem,” Toph says. “It’s not like we could ask anyone else.”

Katara glares, even though she knows Toph can’t see her. “What Toph _means_ , Aang, is thank you very much.” She smiles and he blushes.

“No, I said exactly what I meant. Can’t ask another monk, since Ozai killed most of ‘em off. And get a room, you two! I can smell your teenage-horny pheromones from the other side of the cave.” Toph carelessly pulls a massive boulder away from a passageway and throws it to the side. “There. Hop in, guys!”

“Nice one,” Sokka says while Katara and Aang splutter. He gets off the chair for the first time to walk across the room and high-five her. She hits him so hard he feels it in his shoulder and tries not to wince. He fails.

Aang extricates himself from his embrace with Katara. “What happened to your shoulder?” he asks curiously. “I thought last night was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission.”

Katara sighs. “Ozai has his own blood sorcerer, and Sokka ended up trapped in a fortified supply closet.”

“Oh,” Aang says. “So, how did you get out?”

Sokka shifts uncomfortably. He told Katara that he pulled his shoulder sliding down the castle walls, but he hadn’t exactly mentioned how he’d gotten outside. He’s still not sure what to say. _This crazy-powerful vampire came in and let me out. And by let me out, I mean threw me out a window. And they—although I’m pretty sure it’s a he—said they weren’t sure what side they were on. Also, I think he was_ hot. Yeah, he’s not ready to unpack all of that with the rest of his friends yet. “A vampire let me out,” he decides to say. “He said that he isn’t sure what side he’s on anymore. I think Ozai might have a defector.”

A whoosh of air escapes Aang’s mouth. “A _defector_?” he says. “I don’t think anyone’s left the Phoenix clan for over a hundred years. That’s—”

“—Definitely a lead worth exploring. _Later_ ,” Katara says firmly. “It’s nice that he let Sokka out, but we shouldn’t stake our lives on a vampire who’s _not sure yet_ whether killing everyone who’s not a normal human and turning the humans into blood slaves is something he wants to stand for or not. We’ll talk about it with the tribe and the Kyoshi Warriors when we regroup before the summer solstice.”

Sokka sighs. As intrigued as he is by his vampire savior, she’s right. They have more important things to worry about. “Speaking of meeting up with them, I have a plan to get to Dawn Cove without alerting any vampire patrols.” He pulls a stack of paper out of his and feels warmth in his chest when everyone gathers around. He might not be able to do magic like Katara or perform purification rituals like Aang or turn into a massive wolf like Toph, but he’s the plan guy and he’s good at what he does. It’s nice to be appreciated.

“Uh, is that supposed to be a massive elephant taking a dump on a tree?” Aang asks.

“That’s Ozai’s new castle on the cliff!” Sokka yelps. Someday, his art skills will be appreciated too.

“Oh.” Katara cranes her neck. “I thought that this was supposed to be the castle.” She jabs her finger at what’s obviously a sketch of the nearest temple.

“That’s the Northern Temple! It’s literally on the other side of the bay from where we are!” Sokka wails. They’re all doomed.

Toph thwacks him on the back. “Don’t worry Snoozles. I got it all.”

Sokka sighs. Finally someone with _sense_. “Thank you, Toph. I’m so glad—hey!” He glowers. “You have _got_ to stop doing that.”

Toph snorts. “I’ll do it when you stop falling for it.”

Aang coughs lightly. “While we’re on the subject of the temples…I think that before we regroup, we should go to the Western one.”

Sokka holds up his hands. “No way. We’re supposed to regroup in two weeks. Right now, we’re only three days’ travel from the meeting point. Even if Appa can maintain a form big enough to fly all of us the entire time, we won’t be able to make it there and back before the meet-up happens.” He glances over at Aang’s familiar sunning himself in cat form by the cave entrance. Appa meets his eyes and shapeshifts into a dog before rolling onto his belly. Sokka sighs and walks over to pet him. “I’m sorry Aang, but we can’t do it now.” Appa sighs contentedly.

Aang’s sigh is decidedly less content. “I figured. I just think we could find something important, you know? We were never able to go the Western Temple before, since it was so close to Ozai’s fortress, but now that he’s moved, we have a chance to see if the monks left anything that could help us defeat him.”

“We didn’t find much in the other temples,” Toph interjects.

“Yeah, but the Western one is closest to the vampires’ ancestral territory.” Aang says. “I remember that they had way more incantations and rituals for vampires than the other temples. Sozin knew, too. I think it’s possible that they hid or sealed something important, before—.” He gulps suddenly.

Katara gently puts her hand on Aang’s shoulder. For a couple of moments, the only noise is her fingers rubbing gently on his robes. “I think Aang is right,” Katara says. “At the very least, we should visit after the invasion and see if there’s anything there that will help us…tie up loose ends.” The thumb of her other hand sweeps over the stake tucked in her belt.

Sokka nods. It is a good idea. “Fine. On the day of the solstice, we’ll regroup at the Western Temple.”


End file.
